At 95, William Shatner is already out-rocking the rock stars
William Shatner’s current list of demands for his debut appearance at Riot Fest is quite fitting for the legend that he is. Because apparently reaching 95 years young means you finally stop pretending a normal backstage rider will do.
Riot Fest returns to Douglass Park in Chicago from September 18–20, with everybody from Twenty One Pilots and Iggy Pop to Tool, Nas, Alanis Morissette, Patti Smith and Insane Clown Posse on the bill. But the young 95-year-old William Shatner may already have the most rock-and-roll rider of the entire weekend.
Riot Fest 2026
Shatner Gets Heavy
William Shatner makes his live heavy-metal debut with The *uckers — and naturally, a normal rider simply would not do.
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Shatner is set to make the live debut of his new heavy-metal band The *uckers on Sunday, September 20. The all-star lineup includes Marcus Nand, Phil Soussan, Britt Lightning and Fred Aching, with the band promising reworked material from Shatner’s musical catalog and previews from his upcoming metal record.
And if you are going to make your heavy-metal debut at 95, you might as well act like the Heavy Metal Rock God you have decided you are.
William Shatner’s Riot Fest rider is gloriously unhinged
Dig out the puppies, sauerkraut, fan requests and so-so much more. Among Shatner’s demands:
- A Chicago boat renamed in his honor so he can captain a ship again.
- A prominently displayed Riot Fest billboard featuring Shatner and one lucky fan.
- A classic Chicago food item named in tribute to him.
- A chance to help deliver the weather with a beloved Chicago meteorologist.
- An invitation to sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” at a Chicago baseball game.
- Fire breathers. Many of them.
- An intro video created by GWAR.
- A DeLorean replacing the usual artist golf cart.
- A dressing room transformed into “Shatner’s Shag Shack.”
- Four feet of Polish sausage.
- A Montreal Canadiens hockey sweater signed by John Stamos.
- Eight pallets of Faygo — specifically not to be shared with Insane Clown Posse.
- One pair of white tube socks and one pair of underwear.
- An assortment of adoptable puppies from a reputable local animal-rescue nonprofit.
- A bowl of sauerkraut, backstage and ready to eat.
- And a bouquet of flowers in a vase — “something sweet, something dainty.”
The best part is how perfectly the entire thing understands the assignment. Riot Fest spent years sending Shatner letters asking him to perform, and when he finally said yes, he apparently arrived with a rider that reads like Captain Kirk discovered backstage hospitality and decided to test its limits.
Images: Riot Fest / YouTube.
Shatner and The *uckers are scheduled for the Rebel Stage on Sunday from 5:25 to 6 p.m., giving the festival 35 glorious minutes to see how much of this madness makes it from the rider onto the actual stage.
And because one Shatner performance apparently is not enough, Riot Fest also has him booked for a late-night appearance at Park West on Saturday, September 19, followed by House of Heavy.
Until then, dig out Shatner personally laying down his perfectly reasonable heavy-metal demands right below.
William Shatner reveals his Riot Fest 2026 rider demands
Shatner’s video message confirms his Riot Fest appearance and the gloriously excessive rider accompanying his debut with The *uckers.
Source: Riot Fest.
